In His Majesty's Service
by amateurish papertickler
Summary: AU. Yuichi Kazuki went to the capital to have the best preparations for his future as his family wished. Everything was clear-cut and simple enough. But as they said, the sky was the limit for a young man's wishes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is a thought experiment where I want to put the lovely cast of OTRFK into a fairy-tale like setting with princes and princesses and so on. Real names of Japanese cities will be used in this "world" for convenience's sake so the places in this story will not resemble their namesakes in any way. I will try my best keep the cast as in-character as the setting allows so that they can still be recognized as our lovely characters.

* * *

><p><strong>A new city, a cat, and a random meeting<strong>

Yuichi breathed in the air of Tokyo appreciatively. He was no provincial boy, having grown up in one of the imperial cities and so been long accustomed to imposing buildings and busy streets. Still the capital with its stately yet graceful marble palaces and villas, its equally magnificent avenues and its exotic crowd captured the imagination of a youth like no other. Drunk from excitement, his feet itched to explore the place down to every single lane and corner, to seek for adventures and intrigues, to uncover dark secrets and rescue innocents and win the affections of a mysterious beauty.

Yuichi shook his head and laughed at his own childishness. Capital city or not, he did not come here for wild adventures. He had another, less interesting perhaps, but definitely more mature purpose. His mind turned the pages back to that memorable family talk a month ago in one of those visits of his older brother Shohei. It was decided then that he was of age to attend the Royal Academy to study administrative arts and everything a young man of his station should know. He was a son of the Kazuki, one of the most important noble houses of the land, and thus had high expectations to live up to.

Not that he was bad at meeting what people expected of him. On the contrary, he was the image of perfection ever since he was little. Well-behaved, charismatic, intelligent, and last but not least, handsome, he was the model son that every family dreamt of. He knew his worth and was proud of his achievements quite a bit. At times he could not help but feel that with time the burden had become heavier and heavier. However, the higher the challenges, the sweeter the rewards and so he toiled, delighting in the praises and admiration he received.

Still, it was his first day at the capital and Shohei, his temporary guardian, had said that he should enjoy himself before his work and everything else swallowed him whole. Knowing the man's tendency for the dramatics, Yuichi did not buy the horror stories one bit but why not? Knowing the ins-and-outs of where he was going to live for three years and possibly even longer did not hurt. Besides, he hated to admit Shohei was right when his brother described him as "puppy-eyed" for a tour around the city but his brother was on the mark. So he was out as soon as breakfast was wolfed down and wandered wherever his fancy took him. He had had a look at his alma mater in the very near future, the elegant design of which won his approval immediately. He had walked through the bustling commercial streets where he had caught the attention of a few people, mostly girls, to his mix of amusement and resignation. He had skimmed through the theatre schedule, idly noting the shows that sounded interesting.

At the moment, he was sitting in a quiet corner of the Royal Garden. Despite the name, the garden was opened to everyone as a gift from a king of a long time ago to the city and Yuichi gladly took the offer. Chewing a sandwich his sister-in-law packed for him, he lazily watched daffodils swaying in the cool breeze of early spring. It had been a good day. Nice weather, nice new place to discover, pleasant enough people. He closed his eyes and hummed a cheerful song as he often did when contented.

-otrfk-

Everything started innocuously enough. Just a cat jumping out of a bush next to him. It was a handsome creature with shiny grey coat. The cat was definitely no stray for it had a pretty collar and was very familiar with humans. In fact, it looked at Yuichi high-and-mightily for a moment as if judging if he was worthy and proceeded to rub its head against his shins as naturally as only cats could do. Not an animal hater, Yuichi just laughed and scratched its ears, murmuring little nonsense humans often said when playing with their pets. It was not long until the cat invited itself to his lap and began its grooming there. He simply let it do what it pleased while staring at the map and thinking hard about where he should go next.

There was sound of someone calling something. Then there was sound of footsteps and without looking up, he could tell there was someone standing in front of him. Somewhat annoyed by the stare he was receiving, Yuichi raised his head but before he could throw out his "what do you want?" (well, not so harshly but something along the line), the stranger saved him the trouble.

"Uhm, excuse me, can I have my cat back?"

Oh, of course the cat had an owner and the owner must have been looking for it. Smiling politely the way he always did, Yuichi picked up the animal and handed it over to the person opposite him, a boy who was probably one or two years younger than he. The cat squirmed a little in his hands but did not protest much when it was back in the other boy's arms. To fill in the rather awkward silence more than anything else, Yuichi made a harmless general remark.

"Cute cat you have there."

The boy stared at Yuichi (really, was it only this boy or youngsters in this city had a habit of gawking at strangers?) but responded to his comment before long.

"Ah, thank you, I guess," a pause as if he did not quite know what to say. "Lady, her name is Lady."

Now it was Yuichi's turn to gawk. What kind of boys name their pets "Lady" even for a "girl cat" like his niece Takako would say? Then again, the kid did look rather girly. Yuichi's sharp eyes quickly appraised the unknown boy in front of him. Slender to the point of skinny, either younger than Yuichi thought or short for his age, fair complexion, slightly messy brown hair, huge eyes of darkest blue in the shade, heart-shaped face that could be model for a porcelain doll, the boy was... cute, if Yuichi might say so. His clothes were simple but of finest materials and despite the awkwardness, he was soft-spoken and polite. He had the air of the sheltered "young master"-kind of boy. Yuichi felt pleased with himself for being so clever. Right, it was not unlikely that a boy from a wealthy family went for a walk in the Royal Garden where high society passed their time.

As if he could read Yuichi's thought about the name "Lady", the boy blushed a little and hastily defended himself.

"Ah, my sister came up with that name, not me! Said it would fit the cat of a...," he trailed off for some reason and quickly changed the subject, uncannily focused on scratching his cat's ears. "I hope my cat didn't bother you much, Mister.-"

"Kazuki. My name is Yuichi Kazuki," Yuichi played along though he was puzzled by the boy's rather strange behaviour. A- what? What did the boy have to hide and why? Anyway, it was none of his business. He was curious, of course, but it would not do to pry into private life of strangers on his first day in a strange place. It was probably just strange fancy of a rich boy with too much time on his hands, Yuichi mentally shrugged.

"Kazuki? You mean Kazuki as in Lord Kazuki Count of Izu and Minister Shohei Kazuki?".

Yuichi inwardly winced. This was one of the biggest drawbacks of being a Kazuki. It went invariably thus: people heard his family name, called out every single person he was related to, and assumed they knew everything about him. Then all kinds of annoying fusses followed where his manners and reputation forced him to play along. Of course he could deny the connection but that implied he was ashamed of his family, something he hated even more. And really, who would be fooled? There was just no way out, he sighed exasperatedly. He had hoped he would have an easier time in a new place but it did not seem to be the case.

"Yes," he quickly cut in in case the boy wanted to recite the rest of his genealogy. "But please, it's not that big a deal, really."

The boy looked flustered. "Oh, I apologize. I was rude," he blushed yet again. "I didn't mean to offend you or something. Just that it has been rumoured Lord Shohei's younger brother would go to Tokyo soon, but, uhm, it was surprising to meet you here."

Yuichi perked up. Shohei. Now it made some sense and posed tons of new puzzles. It was not unusual that rumours flew around (though he was not sure whether to be flattered or insulted to be whispered about behind his back) but hearing his brother referred to so familiarly was not something he expected to get from this flaky-seeming boy. "Looks like my reputation has preceded me. But please tell me, who are you? It seems that you know my brother quite well."

The boy looked as if he were caught doing something he shouldn't and smiled sheepishly. "Please call me Wataru." The conspicuous lack of family name did not escape Yuichi's notice but he kept his silence. "And yes, I've met Lord Shohei several times. It would be far stretched to say I know him well though," the boy, now registered as Wataru in Yuichi's memory, laughed awkwardly. He carefully re-balanced the cat he was holding and offered his hand to Yuichi. "Nice to meet you. I hope you are enjoying Tokyo so far."

Wataru was horrible at hiding that he had something to hide yet at the same time he was stubborn enough not to let the cat out of the bag. Despite his annoyance at being kept in the dark so obviously, Yuichi had to smile. There was something cute about the boy's attempt at intrigue. So clumsy yet so earnest. Yuichi smirked to himself. Why didn't he play hide-and-seek a bit longer to see how long the boy could keep up? It would do no harm, except perhaps a bit of hurt pride for the kid. He could find out more about what his brother was like in this city (Yuichi had a healthy dose of brother complex but he would never admit that out loud). Also, Wataru was the first person in this city outside his family he had talked to about something other than directions and prices. He needed to oil his social skills for his upcoming grand debut in Tokyo and the boy was the right audience! Donning his trademark Prince Charming smile, he took the hand offered to him.

"Nice to meet you too. And Tokyo is so beautiful. I'm charmed."

"Is that so? I'm glad," Wataru beamed, clearly pleased with the answer. Yuichi hated to admit it (he hated to admit a lot of things) but for a moment he was stunned. When free of awkwardness, his new acquaintance had a bright smile, the carefree and infectious type that made others smile along. It lit up the already lively large eyes and transformed the features from cute to _lovely_. Yuichi was acutely annoyed that he lost his senses enough to openly gape in a few seconds. Blinking a few time to let the dazzle of that unwelcome pretty smile wear off, he hastily spoke the first thing that came to mind in an effort to regain his momentum.

"And you? Are you from around here? Do you often take a walk in this park?" He mentally kicked himself as soon as those words came out from his lips for sounding as if he was flirting. Concentrate, Yuichi, concentrate. He was the one to charm and lead, not the other way around.

Completely oblivious to Yuichi's inner struggle, Wataru smiled disarmingly again. "This place is really nice, isn't it? Karin and I can play all day here. Behave, Lady!" That was obviously for the cat, which was apparently bored of listening to human talk and decided she wanted to run free. The boy grimaced a little and held on to the cat a little firmer.

"I'd better be back with Lady before Mama notices I'm missing and makes a fuss about it. Enjoy your stay, Mister Kazuki! Goodbye!" Then just as Yuichi gathered enough wits to mechanically respond "Goodbye", Wataru ran off and quickly disappeared.

That was, well, random. Yuichi frowned a little. There went his plan to exercise his charm and to pry information out of the boy as much as he could. Then again, how the kid talked was all over the place. He seemed completely honest yet at the same time stubbornly hid everything about himself. Ah well. Yuichi shrugged. Let the weird kid be up to whatever he wanted. Time to go on.

A part of him, just a tiny part, was a bit sad that he probably would not have a chance to see that pretty smile again. However, by the time he hit the busy main street, that little complaint curled up into a corner of his mind and slept.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**A brush with royalty**

The time of freedom did not last forever. Two weeks later and still feeling as if he had just arrived in Tokyo the day before, Yuichi found himself standing in front of the full length mirror in his room preparing for Spring Ceremony. It was the most important celebration of the year when the King offered gratitude to the deities for their past favours and prayed for the kingdom's well-beings in the coming year. After that came the sumptuous festivities. It was the perfect occasion for Yuichi to be introduced to important people of the capital, up to and including the King himself. Shohei certainly held nothing back, thought Yuichi when he checked himself in the mirror. He was pleased to see he cut quite a dashing figure that even his perfectionist brother would likely not find anything to nitpick about. The elegant formal costume showed off his ideal height and slender but strong body. His blond hair was brushed carefully so that it shone like gold, framing a face that he knew had made many girls and probably a few guys swoon. His spirit was so high that probably no one could annoy him today. In short, Yuichi Kazuki was ready to conquer the world.

The plan for the day was straightforward. He would attend the annual ritual with his brother and sister-in-law and after that, the party where he made his debut. It was probably nerve-wrecking for most youths but Yuichi had good manners drilled into him for so long that he could act perfectly polite on auto-pilot. He was also quick-witted and sharp enough to deal with any situation he found himself in. Thus, he was not really nervous. Instead he was filled with curiosity about the ritual and anticipation for good time at a grand party at no place other than the Royal Palace.

When Yuichi walked down to the living room, he saw that everyone else was ready and waiting for him. Shohei smirked and mockingly saluted his little brother with the cigarette he was smoking.

"Oh, here comes the young master. We've been afraid that by the time you finish, this season will be already over."

"Shohei, don't tease him so! Today is his important day," Yuichi's sister-in-law Kirie gently rebuked her husband. She was probably the only one who could make the adventurous and sure-of-himself Shohei bend to her will. Giving Yuichi a quick appraisal, she nodded appreciatively. "You're perfect, Yuichi. You'll be the talk of the court today."

Giving his sister-in-law a grateful smile for her encouragement, Yuichi said. "Thank you, Kirie. I'm glad to hear that from the authority, unlike a certain someone here." He stuck his tongue out at his brother cheekily for good measure.

"Mama says it's rude to make faces at other people." Little Takako chimed in from the sofa. She was only five years old, too young to attend a long ceremony and thus had to stay at home with the trusty housekeeper. Yuichi walked to her and ruffled her hair.

"It's OK if it's at Papa." He winked at the little girl and smiled mischievously at his brother.

"Hey, could you young gentleman not teach my daughter nonsense?" Shohei feigned a hurt and indignant face but it was obvious that he was pleased with his daughter's precociousness. This adorable little girl was the true mistress of the whole household. The usually fearsome Shohei was wrapped around her little finger and Yuichi would do anything to make her happy.

"But I don't want to be rude to Papa." Takako said thoughtfully. Even without looking at Shohei, Yuichi could tell that his brother was sporting a smug triumphant smile. He did not have time to dwell on it long for his niece tugged at his arm.

"Uncle Yuichi, why can't I go with you?"

She had been appealing to everyone who would listen despite repeated assurances that there would be nothing she would like at both the ceremony. Yuichi sighed and sat down next to her.

"Trust me, Takako, it won't be fun at all. You'll have to stand still for hours. No talking, no playing. You don't like that, do you?"

Takako pouted, obviously unconvinced. "But you are all going."

"We're grown-ups, Takako. Be a good girl, okay? You will join us for the party later, don't you remember?" Kirie came to Yuichi's rescue.

"I remember. I will dance with Uncle Yuichi and Papa."

Yuichi laughed "Of course, but we'll have to take turns then."

"Never mind him," Shohei nonchalantly said. "He had other ladies to attend to." Yuichi did not bother to dignify that with an answer. A scowl was enough.

-otrfk-

Although Yuichi was from one of the noblest noble families in the land and was the younger brother of an important figure in the court, he was by all means still an untitled youth who had yet to make a name for himself. Therefore, he could not be with Shohei and Kirie and had to be in the outer slot in the rank of respectable-but-not-really-significant people. He did not mind it one bit for he sincerely looked down on those talentless people who only took advantage of their family. The arrangement had one down side though, namely that he was a little too far from the high shrine. He curiously looked around and could easily spot his brother among the true dignitaries of the realm. The man stood out everywhere with his good looks and confident manners. In fact, he was the lordliest of them all. Yuichi was proud to have such a man as his brother, though truth be told, he was nervous as well. What could he do to be more than "Lord Shohei's little brother"? The words of the boy the other day came to his mind. People here talked about him even before he arrived, but only because he was related to Shohei.

Shaking his head to clear the sour thoughts when all bells rang signifying the beginning of the ceremony, Yuichi focused on what happened on the shrine. He already knew the basic content and meaning of the rituals by heart, having attended a variant of this ceremony every year in his hometown. However, there were still things that are new to him from the ancient outdoors shrine which was said to be built in the foundation period two thousand years ago to the re-investiture of the Heavenly Treasures to the King, a detail by its nature only presented in the Tokyo version. The presence of the elite Guards in bright armours among the solemnly dressed civillians added to the grandeur of the scene. Here was he, being in an ancient city participating in a thousand-year ritual. A pleasant thrill ran along his spine, the kind that made blood race and eyes shine brighter.

It was thus quite a disappointment when the King appeared. The guy did not look kingly at all. Even with the distance from the shrine taken into account, he was tiny and the elaborate ceremonial robe looked like borrowed clothes on him. Like everyone else in the kingdom, Yuichi knew that the current incumbent of the throne was still a sixteen-year-old, one year younger than himself, and most of the actual government was in the hand of the Queen-regent and the Council. In fact, the King joined in the ruling only the year before and therefore was green as grass in his post. Still, people would expect their monarch to at least look the part, especially for occasions like this. Yuichi sighed. Things could not always be perfect, he guessed.

The young King performed his duty in the ritual and Yuichi supposed he should not be too strict. In compensation for the unimpressive appearance, his monarch was earnest and confident in manners and in speech. The prayer did not feel rehearsed, and there was a sincere ring to it that moved people and probably whichever gods listening to it as well. Instinctively, Yuichi felt his liege lord was someone he could like and trust. However, there was something that nagged him at the back of his mind. He felt he had heard this voice somewhere but could not quite put a finger to it. He mentally shrugged and just ignored the feelings.

After the rituals, Yuichi met with his brother and sister-in-law to prepare for the traditional reception where the royal family offered and received well-wishes from the subjects. It was no surprising that there was a long queue and high-ranked as Shohei was, they had to wait. As the herald announced his brother, his sister-in-law and himself, Yuichi quickly ran over his brother's little lecture in dealing with royalty the first time. Be respectful, smile and nod, no need to make a grand impression but avoid a _bad_ impression at all cost. However, when he came face to face with the person he was to be introduced to, his brain came to a screeching halt.

There was no need to introduce him to the King at all. In front of him on the throne in the middle was no other than the boy who looked for his cat the other day in the Royal Garden.

Wataru.

Yuichi's mind restarted and began to race at top speed to analyse the situation. It was not very hard for things to come together at this point actually. He knew the King's name was in fact Wataru, with "the third" added to official title to distinguish the guy from the ancestors. He knew the King was only sixteen years old. He figured it would make sense for a royal to hide his identity when roaming alone outside the Palace. He remembered that feelings earlier that he had already heard that voice somewhere. However, he supposed it was understandable of him for not suspecting that the short, skinny, easily blushing boy chasing after a house cat could be a royal, least of all a monarch.

Stunned by the unexpected development, Yuichi did not realise that he had been just standing there staring at the young King to whom he was supposed to pay respect the whole time until Shohei nudged him. Yuichi mechanically gave a bow and kissed the hands of the Queen-regent and Princess Royal then immediately returned his attention to the boy on the throne, a bit more discreetly this time. Wataru, no, _His Majesty_, was obviously more well prepared for this situation than Yuichi for there was not a trace of surprise on the face too young for the jewelled crown. However, that did not mean his liege lord was not completely indifferent to what was going on. The faint blush creeping on the pale cheeks was telling and Yuichi vaguely had the feelings that he himself blushed too.

Much had been said about what monarchs should and should not do. They had to be wise and just. They should listen to the people and not abuse their power. Etcetera etcetera. Today, Yuichi found it necessary to add that they had no right to look so _adorable_. How could he maintain a respectful calmness as etiquette required when his head was hazy and his heart beat like mad? It was unfair!

Luckily for him, he was not supposed to lead the conversation. The Queen-regent graciously greeted him and asked him general questions to which he responded appropriately. Then Shohei and Kirie joined and the talk turned to topics he did not have to participate in. Exchange of goodwills from both sides, predictions for the coming year, etc. Not quite trusting his brain to function properly, Yuichi resolutely kept his mouth shut, only responded when asked, and in general tried to be invisible and not to stare at the young King too overtly. The audience was not long but Yuichi felt as if it would never have been over. But it did end and finally, Yuichi was on the way home.

After they had settled in the carriage, Kirie worriedly asked, "Are you feeling well, Yuichi? You look tired."

Yuichi managed a smile. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry. It was just a little overwhelming to me." That was not a lie. Finding out that he had already encountered the King on the first day in Tokyo was quite a surprise. Also there were things he preferred not to think about for fear of his sanity.

Yuichi's kind sister-in-law gave him a sympathetic smile. "I see. Don't worry! You did well, and Lady Aiko is not someone who is uptight about etiquettes. Same for Lord Wataru and Lady Karin. So just relax, will you?"

_That guy was indeed not the stuck up type_, thought Yuichi. He could recall vividly how the supposed ruler of the realm almost timidly talked to him. And the innocent manner with a blink-and-miss touch of stubbornness. And the blushes. He could still not believe that such a boy was the King. That pretty doll face made people want to pamper and spoil, and its owner was sweet as a cookie.

And now he was thinking nonsense! Cute or not, a misstep towards that guy could give him endless troubles. He felt like ripping his hair out but resisted for fear of making his brother and sister-in-law worry. They would probably think he had lost his mind, which was likely the case. He was aware that Shohei had been scrutinizing him and stared back defiantly.

"If you want to say something then say it now, brother."

Shohei smiled the smile he gave people when he wanted to pacify them. "Whoa, whoa, don't be so hostile. Penny for your thought now that you've had a brush with royalty?"

Yuichi was slightly rattled by the seemingly innocuous but in fact straight to the point question. "They are kind, I guess. They're obviously very friendly to us. Kirie refers to them by name too. But I guess it was natural with you being a minister and all."

"Well, Lady Aiko has a gift for remembering people and she encourages everyone to relax around her. Her children are of the same type. The atmosphere at court can be quite informal sometimes. Anything else?"

"Er, that's all, I think. I just meet them today, after all."

"I see," Shohei nodded, seemingly content with his brother's answer.

Yuichi tried his best to look normal. There was no way he would spill his little issue with "Lord Wataru" as Kirie called the boy. It would not do to say "His Majesty was so cute! I didn't expect him to be the King when I met him the other day" and he preferred to chew on what he felt about his liege lord in peace.

His heart skipped a beat when he realized he would meet the boy again soon at the big party in the evening.

It did not rain. It poured.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Making impressions**

Yuichi was enjoying his break at a buffet table in a corner, wrapped in the mouth-watering aroma of delicacies and away from the gossiping crowd, when the herald announced the arrival of the royals. He hastily swallowed the last bit of the pastry he was chewing and stood to attention as etiquette required. The time gap between the audience and this party had allowed Yuichi to regain his balance of mind so he could look at his sovereign without unsettling the flock of butterflies in his stomach. Still, he got goosebumps when those big blue eyes swept through the corner where he was standing. Dressed in white uniform adorned with the wisteria, the flower of the Royal House, the young king had the air of a child playing dressed up, but it just made him all the more charming. Flanked by the Queen-regent and the Princess Royal, he made a tour around the great hall and greeted the most important guests, Shohei and Kirie included. He was relaxed and confident, even a bit proud, and in short felt nothing like the blushing boy of the morning or the day when they first met. Suddenly it struck Yuichi for the first time that he was really the ruler of the realm, that the crown was his in name and soon in fact. The realization made Yuichi a little dizzy, and he found himself hoping that he had not inadvertently upset His Majesty in any way.

For the time being, it seemed that Yuichi was safe. He was either too far away or not important enough for the royal family to come to him. He was not sure he was even seen. Before he could decide if that twang in his stomach was relief or disappointment, the band played a slow waltz and the first dance of the night began. Yuichi did not really try to find a partner so he had to be a wallflower. It suited him just fine since watching was all he really wanted to do anyway. As was his tradition, the king opened the dance with his sister, and Yuichi had a good look at the princess for the first time. It was rather surreal how much she resembled her brother from the pretty face to the lithe frame, and like her brother, she wore a prig of wisteria on her white dress. This must have been common occurrence for they looked completely at ease and even had fun, their smiles mirroring one another. In that moment, all kingly gravitas disappeared from the esteemed Lord Wataru and he was simply a boy happily swirling around with someone who was essentially his gender-opposite clone. The effect was a bit too much for Yuichi. He could clearly feel a blush creeping on his face. He resolutely wrenched his eyes from the king and the princess and found his composure with the help of a glass of champagne. Suddenly a hand clapped on his back, making him nearly choked on the alcohol.

"I've never pegged you to be the type that lurks in the corner demolishing the champagne supply."

Yuichi rolled his eyes. "Please, Shohei, what I do in parties is my own business. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Making sure my little brother won't get drunk and embarrass himself in front of the whole court," Shohei said breezily and Yuichi snorts. "Seriously though, I'm looking for you. Takako wants to have her first dance with you but you have to go and break her heart."

Oh, right. He did promise to dance with his niece. Wincing inwardly about his absence of mind and Shohei's theatrics, he obediently put down the glass and followed his brother.

-otrfk-

Yuichi was glad that Takako was not one to get mad long. One apology and an offer to be her partner and his niece already beamed at him as if he was her favourite person in the world. He shot Shohei a smug smile and laughed out loud when his brother rolled his eyes. Thus Yuichi was in high spirit when he led his niece on a lively jig. Takako laughed happily and Yuichi let out an easy grin. He could feel that many eyes were on them but he did not care. For all he knew, he and his niece were making a delightful scene. Shohei and Kirie smiled encouragingly and went on to dance themselves. Everything was perfect and when the music stopped, Yuichi felt very pleased with himself. He returned all of the amused glances coming his way with his winning smile and led Takako to a buffet table in search for apple juice. There was only one bottle left, and a quicker hand had snatched it before Yuichi could. One look at his niece's disappointed face made his mind. He stayed the hand of the other person.

"Excuse me, could you please leave it to my niece?"

"Huh?" the stranger blinked in confusion for a moment, then he saw Takako. Realization dawned on his face and he graciously handed the juice to her. "Ah, sure!"

Takako took the bottle and beamed. The other boy patted her head. Before Yuichi could thank him properly and introduce himself, another boy and a girl appeared, and Yuichi's breath was taken away immediately. It was none other than the king and the princess, their faces slightly flushed from the dancing. Yuichi had to do his best to stop staring. It seemed that it was impossible to escape royalty today.

"Ah, here you are, Kawamura," the young king called. "Oh, you have company."

"Not quite," the other boy snorted. "We've just met for ten seconds."

Before Yuichi could get scandalized at the tone the boy called Kawamura used to talk to the king of all people, he had to steel himself for the moment his liege lord set eyes on him.

"Nice to meet you again, Mister Kazuki. Is the party to your liking?" the king greeted Yuichi politely. He was thoroughly composed, and Yuichi was a bit miffed that he was probably the only one who got worked up over the surprise in the morning.

"It is delightful," Yuichi replied in the same calm and proper voice, and remembered whom he was talking to. "Sire."

The young monarch blushed now of all time. "People who helped me find my cat call me Wataru."

"That is..." Yuichi hesitated. On one hand, "Wataru" indeed fit this pretty blushing boy better than any grand heavy-sounding title. On the other hand, it was easy to forget but Yuichi was talking to his superior, and he had to be careful.

"Oh, just humour him." the princess giggled. "And nice to meet you. I'm Karin though people generally prefer to call me "Your Highness". This is our friend Kawamura. We have been looking forward to meeting you."

It was a bit overwhelming to hear that a princess and someone who was likely to be a high-ranking young noble wanted to see him for no apparent reason. Nevertheless, her cheerfulness was infectious, and Yuichi liked her immediately.

"Whatever you command me to do, milady," he took her offered hand and kiss it, then shook hands with Kawamura. The gesture earned him a smile from the king, and Yuichi vaguely felt that he had been accepted into their circle. It emboldened him to make his own request. "But then I'm Yuichi, not "Mister Kazuki"."

"And you, Takako, are you enjoying yourself too?" the king turned a bit too hastily to Yuichi's niece and talked to her as solemnly as he would an adult.

"Yes, Lord Wataru. I danced with Uncle Yuichi and I will dance with papa." Takako replied cheerfully.

"I'm glad to hear that." Wataru, any misgivings Yuichi had left vaporized in the face of the sweetness in front of him, smiled. The expression quickly turned into a grimace as Kawamura elbowed him in the ribs.

"Quit flirting! She's only five, you pervert."

Wataru promptly turned to his snickering friend and not very graciously stomped on the latter's foot. "The one who's not right in the head is you." he scowled.

All of his education on court etiquette did not prepare Yuichi for this situation so all he did was to gape at the bickering pair. Next to him, the princess sighed a sigh of long suffering and told him. "Could you please just ignore them? They're both idiots."

Picking his niece up just so that he had something to do to pass the moment of confusion, Yuichi asked the princess. "Does that happen a lot?" and added somewhat sheepishly "Your Highness."

"Karin, or at most, Lady Karin," the delightful young lady ordered him with faux-haughtiness. "And yes, those two are always like that. See, even Takako doesn't pay attention to them any more."

Yuichi's niece was indeed calmly finishing her juice as if the ruler of the realm fighting like a teenager (that he indeed was) was common occurrence. Yuichi turned back to Karin and blurted out the thing that was on his mind ever since the moment he met the royal siblings. "If it is not too rude to ask, are you and your brother so familiar to everyone?"

He regretted the stupid question immediately. Karin did not answer him right away. Instead she quietly looked at him, and for a moment, Yuichi dreaded that he had stepped on a landmine. Then she smiled conspiratorially. "My brother explained it to you already. The person who helped him find his cat calls him Wataru. And since the cat was also mine, that applies to me too."

Yuichi could not help but feel that there was something else the princess did not tell him, but nodded anyway. Fortunately for him, it did not get any more awkward as Wataru and Kawamura stopped their bickering and rejoined the conversation. If the king or his friend felt that something was amiss, they did not say anything. The talk flowed easily, though it was mostly about Yuichi himself like almost every other conversation he had had with someone who was not his family since his arrival in the capital. He had already resigned himself to that fate, knowing that it would stop when he settled down. What concerned him more was his irrational desire to impress the pretty boy (the king! He sternly told himself). He did not want to be just a mere novelty that would become boring in a month. However, humiliation and possibly madness lay that way so he forced himself to stay within what he knew best, counting every glance and smile Wataru granted him by way of keeping score.

Soon Takako grew bored and wanted to go back to her parents so Yuichi had to reluctantly part with Wataru's group. They did not talk again for the rest of the night and Yuichi did not think it would be wise to seek him out. However, just before the party ended when the customary little gifts from the royal family were handed out to the guests, Yuichi found in the velvet bag meant for him in addition to the regular sweets a small crystal figurine of a cat.

He grinned. That counted for something, didn't it?


End file.
